Photo credit: Laura J Curran www.laurajcurran.com
FEATURE // TRUDY SCRUMPTIOUS
COVID EFFECT BY TRUDY SCRUMPTIOUS AS I STARTED TO WRITE THIS ARTICLE ABOUT THE EFFECT OF THE COVID19 PANDEMIC ON MYSELF AND THE LOCAL LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY I REALISED THAT TO DO THE STORY JUSTICE, WE SHOULD REALLY GO BACK TO NEW YEARS’ EVE 2019. THE EVENTS OF 2020 STARTED A DAY EARLY FOR OUR COMMUNITY HERE IN BELFAST, GIVING US A DRAMATIC WARNING SIGN OF THE YEAR TO COME. I WAS GETTING READY TO LEAVE MY HOUSE WITH THE USUAL BUZZ AND EXCITEMENT OF THE NEW YEAR’S EVE GIGS AND PARTIES AHEAD, WHEN I GOT A MESSAGE FROM MY FRIEND TELLING ME OF A FIRE THAT WAS HAPPENING IN KREMLIN NIGHTCLUB. THE EVENTS OF THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS CONSISTED OF HEARING HOW THE FIRE ESCALATED SO QUICKLY AND FEROCIOUSLY THROUGH THE MAIN CLUB ROOM BURNING AN AREA WHERE SO MANY OF US HAVE DANCED , LAUGHED AND CREATED MEMORIES ALONGSIDE OUR FELLOW LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY. THANKFULLY, NOBODY WAS INJURED THAT NIGHT, BUT THE FEELING OF LOSS WAS FELT AND WITH HINDSIGHT IT WAS A VERY SYMBOLIC START TO THE YEAR AHEAD. WITH ONE LESS VENUE TO DANCE IN, IT MEANT AN EXTRA QUIET JANUARY AND FEBRUARY IN THE GAY QUARTER IN BELFAST, BUT ALSO ALLOWING US TO HEAR THE RUMBLINGS OF AN EVEN MORE SERIOUS SITUATION UNFOLDING AROUND THE WORLD AND BY THE TIME OF EARLY MARCH IT BECAME APPARENT THE COVID19 PANDEMIC WAS HERE IN NORTHERN IRELAND AND QUICK AND DRASTIC ACTIONS WOULD NEED TO BE TAKEN...
THIRTY SIX // // GNIMAG.COM FORTY FOUR GNIMAG.COM
